Forest next as home win search continues

We might be a game further on and we might still be looking for that first home win, but there is more confidence around the place after Saturday's performance against Southampton.

Charlie Austin - whole team performance was brilliant

The previous home game against Middlesbrough was dire and the follow up game at Peterborough was no better. We then struggled to overcome MK Franchise in the Carling Cup, winning it with a late Andre Amougou goal.

There was a real air of despondency around the place ahead of kick off on Saturday but the enthusiasm, the confidence and the hopes have been lifted by the performance against the league leaders that came within ten minutes of giving us a win.

We should be used to playing at home. Including cup games tonight will be our 8th home game of the season from 11 games and we really do need to get a win. Add the last two home games of last season and the league run at Turf Moor is now five without a win, the longest such run we've had since we went 8 without a win in the 2007/08 season.

The fans have sounded more hopeful; there is certainly more confidence oozing from the manager and the players have been a lot more bullish about our hopes since Saturday.

"If we can carry that performance (v Southampton) into tonight with the same level of intensity I think we can get the three points," captain Chris McCann said ahead of tonight's game and McCann's form on Saturday, without doubt his best performance this season, has been a big lift.

Goalscorer Charlie Austin added: "I scored the goal, which is what I'm there for, but the whole team performance was brilliant. I think we should have won three points to be honest."

It's good to hear and that's what we have to do now - go and win three points.

Howe will make late checks on both Keith Treacy and Junior Stanislas. Treacy missed Saturday's game with a sore hamstring whilst Stanislas, making his first start for Burnley, was forced off with an injury.

I'm sure Howe will be hoping both come through, and if they do I expect Treacy will have to make do with a place on the bench with the starting eleven remaining unchanged.

I'd expect us to start: Lee Grant, Kieran Trippier, Andre Amougou, David Edgar, Brian Easton, Ross Wallace, Marvin Bartley, Chris McCann, Junior Stanislas, Charlie Austin, Jay Rodriguez. Subs from: Jon Stewart, Ben Mee, Dean Marney, Keith Treacy, Alex MacDonald, Zavon Hines.

Our Opponents - Nottingham Forest

There's been a bit of turmoil at Forest since the end of last season. Under Little Billy Davies they reached the play offs again but lost out in a superb semi-final second leg at Swansea. That signalled the end for Davies who was dismissed and replaced by former England boss Steve McClaren.

The fans don't seem to have taken to him and he doesn't appear to be too settled at the club because of the way they deal with transfers. He's complained at the lack of transfer activity, echoing the words of Davies from a year ago, and recently it looked as though he could walk out.

He didn't, but his position remains less than secure and it wasn't helped a week ago when they lost at home to a Derby County side who had been reduced to ten men early in the game. They even saw Derby come from behind to win the game.

Like us, they haven't won at home, but they've twice returned from away games with 1-0 wins, something alien to a Burnley team who don't get clean sheets.

In August a Chris Gunter goal was enough for them to win at Doncaster and three days ago they had a similar score at Watford courtesy of a goal from Ishmael Miller.

Those two are joint leading scorers in the league. They've scored 8, one more than us, but whilst all our goals have been scored by Austin and Treacy, they've got eight different scorers with one goal each.

The good news for Forest is they didn't pick up any injuries at Watford although Chris Cohen, Garath McCleary and Dexter Blackstock (all with knee injuries) remain out of the reckoning as do George Boateng (ankle) and Paul Anderson (hamstring).

McClaren is expected to name the same team that beat Watford which was:  Lee Camp, Chris Gunter, Luke Chambers, Joel Lynch, Wes Morgan, Clint Hill, Jonathan Greening, Guy Moussi, Lewis McGugan, Robbie Findley, Ishmael Miller. Subs: Paul Smith, Radoslaw Majewski, Andy Reid, Matt Derbyshire, Marcus Tudgay.

Last Time They Were Here

One thing Forest will find this season at Turf Moor that they didn't in 2010/11 is a good pitch. They were our visitors on the opening day of last season when the new pitch wasn't ready and it was something of a mess down either flank.

Chris Iwelumo - debut goal

It wasn't the best of opening games to the season either. We tried to get the ball down the flanks and when we did looked dangerous. But it wasn't often enough and it was Forest who came close first with Robert Earnshaw hitting a shot onto the outside of Brian Jensen's post.

As the first half wore on we got better and started to dominate. Ross Wallace saw a shot saved, Danny Fox, who was strangely booed by the Burnley fans, had a superb effort blocked, they came close to putting through their own goal, Chris Iwelumo went close and an Andre Bikey effort was cleared off the line.

Then, just as the fourth official was arriving with the extra minutes board at the end of the first half, Wade Elliott linked with Tyrone Mears before making a run down the right wing. He traded passes with Martin Paterson before crossing for Iwelumo to head home a debut goal.

Forest gave it a go in the second half but blazed their one good chance high and wide. They didn't threaten Jensen and the nearest we got to a second goal was when Lee Camp saved well from Iwelumo.

It wasn't a classic, but it was a win to get the season started.

The teams were;

Burnley: Brian Jensen, Tyrone Mears, Andre Bikey, Michael Duff (Clarke Carlisle 30), Danny Fox, Graham Alexander, Wade Elliott, Dean Marney, Martin Paterson (Jay Rodriguez 76), Chris Iwelumo (Steven Thompson 85), Ross Wallace. Subs not used: Lee Grant, Leon Cort, David Edgar, Chris Eagles.

Nottingham Forest: Lee Camp, Chris Gunter, Wes Morgan, Kelvin Wilson (Luke Chambers 45), Ryan Bertrand, Chris Cohen, Guy Moussi (Radoslaw Majewski 82), Paul McKenna, Nathan Tyson, Robert Earnshaw, Dexter Blackstock (Paul Anderson 69). Subs not used: Karl Darlow, Lewis McGugan, Garath McCleary, Dele Adebola.

Previous Games against Nottingham Forest

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